Mail catching and delivering apparatus.



A. H. & r. c. SNYDER & J. RGAPFNBY.

MAIL GA'I'GHING AND DELIVERING APPARATUS APPLICATION nun nov. 9, 1908.

908,898. Patented Jan.5,1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

THI uonms PETIRS cm, wAsumarolijo. c

A.. H. 6: F. G. SNYDER & J. P, GAFFNEY.

MAIL GATGHING AND DELIVERING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9, 190B.

Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

3 BHEETS-SHEET 2.

Wi ma/sou 7H: Nomus x-rrzxs cm, wlsumamu, n. c.

A. H. & F. G. SNYDER & J. P. GAFFNBY.

MAIL GATGHING AND DELIVERING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9, 1908. 90 9 Patented Jan. 5, 1909. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREW H. SNYDER, FRANK C. SNYDER, AND JAMES P. GAFFNEY, OF CUMBERLAND, MARYLAND.

MAIL GATCHING AND DELIVERING APPARATUS.

Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

Serial No. 461,765.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ANDREW H. SNYDER, FRANK O. SNYDER, and JAMES P. GAFFNEY, citizens of the United States, residing at Cumberland, in the county of Allegany and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail Catching and Delivering Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

Our present invention relates to improved apparatus for the delivery of mail-bags or pouches to and from moving trains, the construction and advantages of which will be hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the apparatus, the car being shown in section and a portion of the frame which supports the delivering and receiving mechanism at one side of the track being broken away as shown in section; Fig. 2 a top plan view of the apparatus just prior to the delivery of a pouch to the crane at the side of the track and from said crane to the crane on the car; Fig. 3 a perspective view of the crane located at the edge of the car-door, the pouch-receptacle carried thereby, and the pouch-receptacle carried by the crane or standard located at the side of the track, the parts being in the same position as shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 an enlarged horizontal sectional view, taken on the line a@ of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 a perspective view of a mail-bag or pouch, showing the device employed in conjunction with our invention as applied thereto; Fig. 6 a perspective view of the double hook or arm employed upon the crane at the side of the track to withdraw the pouch from the pouch-receptacle carried by the crane upon the car; and Fig. 7 a detail view of the ratchet mechanism employed in conjunction with the standard or crane at the side of the track.

The main object of the invention is to provide a simple and eflicient apparatus by which a mail-bag may be delivered to the car or train while in transit, and a pouch delivered from the car to the crane located at the side of the track.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for imparting an initial movement to the crane or supporting arm located at the side of the track prior to the engagement of the hooks or arms with the bags or pouches which are carried by said crane and the car crane, so as to do away to a greater or less extent with the jar or impact which would otherwise be present and be delivered directly to the hooks or arms and to the bags or pouches. In other words, the crane located at the side of the track is given an initial forward movement prior to the actual engagement of the hooks with the bags or pouches.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means for counterbalancing the swinging movement of the crane and to prevent the same from being thrown too rapidly or violently, the means in the present instance taking the form of a pick-up weight which, while permitting the crane to swing freely during the first part of its movement will arrest the same during the latter portion of its movement and finally bring it to a standstill.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for holding the crane in a position away from the track or the train passing along the same, thus preventing the weight from throwing the crane back toward the train after the impetus imparted to the crane by the detaching hook has been overcome.

.It is also an ob'ect of the invention to provide a simple an efficient support and housing for the mail-bag or pouch, the same style of support or housing being used upon the crane attached to the car and the crane at the side of the track.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an attachment to the mail-bag or pouch which will permit the ready withdrawal of the pouch from the housing and effectually prevent any injury to the contents of the pouch.

With these and other objects in view, a detailed description of the invention will be given.

Aframework 1, best shown in Fig. 1, is located to one side of the track and formsthe support for a vertical shaft 2, the shaft being mounted in suitable bearings so that it may be rotated or permitted to bringthe various parts secured thereto into pro er relation with the mechanism carried by t e car.

Extending outwardly from the shaft are two arms 3 and 4, the lower arm, 4, being somewhat longer than the upper arm, and

rovided at its outer end with a hook of the orm best shown in Fig. 6. The hook may be said to comprise fingers 5 and 6, each finger having a depressed or U-shaped section 7 structure objectionable in practice. staple 17 is likewise held in a'fixed position.

formed therein and into which the staple or loop secured to the bag or pouch and hereinafter more specincally referred to, will drop after the bag has been withdrawn from the receptacle or housing. The arms 3 and 4 Wlll preferably be connected by a brace 8, and to said brace and at the outer end of the arm 3 is secured a combined support and housing for the mail-pouch. As will be seen, said housing comprises a substantially semicylindrical oackt, preferably formed of relatively heavy sheet metal, and two quadrant- ;shapeddoors or wings l0 and 11 hinged to the vertical forward edges .of the back, the vertically-disposed edges of said doors or wings being roundedor provided with rounded enlargements 12. A spring hinge 13, or other equivalent spring device will be employed in conjunction nith each door, so that the rounded edges ofthe doors will be thrown inwardly tOTiVELId each other, and when in position .will embrace or enter into grooves 14 formed upon the edges of a plate or strip 15 secured to the mail-pouch or bag 16, said strip or plate being formed of any suitable material. An elongated eye or staple 17 extends outwardly from .the plate 15 and stands in a vertical position, as does the plate 15.

The receptacle is provided with a bottom 18, upon which the bag rests when in posi tion therein, and is likewise provided with a top 19 so that when a bag is in place within the receptacle it is entirely housed and is thus protected from the weather and not sub ject to the action of the wind, which with certain devices of this character renders tpe T 1e The receptacle or housing which is attached to a crane-arm 20, is of the same style and formation as the one just described. .Said

arm 20 is secured to a vertically-disposed shaft 21 mounted in suitable .bearings adj acent to'the jamb or frame of the car-door. An arm 22 is likewise rigidly secured .to the shaft 21 and carries a hook 23, Fig. 3, which is formed with a downwardly-extending U- shaped section 24, which engages the staple 17 .of the bag which is removed from the receptacle carried by the swinging frame adj acent to the track. A third arm 25 is likewise secured to the verticallyedisposed shaft 21, the arm at its outer or free end being provided with a cushion member 26 which is adapted to contact with the vertically=disposed arm 27 mounted upon the outer end of the horizontally-disposed rocker-shaft 28, which shaft is mounted in suitable bearings 29, 310 secured .upon the upper face of the arm or beam 3.

To the inner end of the shaft 28 is secured a ibevel gear 31, which meshes with a similar gear 32, secured upon the verticallyedisposed shaft 2. A second bevel-gear 33, mounted upon the shaft 2, meshes with a similar gear.

34 secured upon a shaft 35, the latter being supportedin suitable bearings mounted upon the frame 1. An arm 36 is secured to said shaft 35 and a chain 37 is attached to the outer end of the arm 36. The chain will be made relatively heavy and a number of links will rest upon a platform 38 when the arm occupies a horizontal position and the arm 27 stands in a vertical position; or in other words, when the crane stands at right angles to the track or the line of travel ofthe train. A ratchet 39 is likewise secured to the shaft 2, and cooperates with a pawl 40, the arrangement being such that as the frame or platform crane, as it may be termed, is swung to the positionshown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 by the impact of the arm 25 and the hook- .carrying arm 22 in the act of withdrawing the pouch from the receptacle, said crane will be held in the dotted-line position and prevented from being moved back through the action of the weight toward the train. After the train has passed and it is desired to reset the crane, the ratchet may be withdrawn and the weight allowed to throw the parts back to the full-line position. In order to avoid confusion, the swinging frame composed of the members :3 and 4 and the allied parts, will be termed the platform crane while the shaft'21 and its parts located within the car will be termed the car crane. It will be noted that the latter may be used on either side of the car.

It is conceivable that in so far as the generic invention is concerned the details of the apparatus may be varied without departing from the spirit of our invention. For instance, the mechanism for imparting the initial rotary movement to the platform crane prior to the engagement of the hooks or arms with the bags may be arranged in various ways. So, too, .a take-up weight of any style may be used, though a chain affords a simple device and one that is not readily disarranged.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. In an apparatus for delivering a mailpouch .or bag to a train, the combinationof a platform crane; means carried thereby for holding the pouch in position; means carried by a car for engaging the pouch; and means for imparting an initial swinging movement to the crane prior to the engagement of the means carried by the car for withdrawing the pouch from its support.

2. In an apparatus for delivering a mailpouch or bag to a car, the combination of a platform crane movable about .a vertical axis; means carried thereby for supporting the mail-bag; means carried by the car for engaging the mail-bag and withdrawing it from its support; means carried by the crane for rotating the same and means carried by the car for engaging said rotating means and imparting motion thereto gagement of the bag-wit with the bag.

3. In an apparatus for delivering mailbags or the like to a car, the combination of a platform crane adapted to be swung about a vertical axis; means carried thereby for holding a mail-bag or pouch; means mounted on the car for engaging said pouch and withdrawing it from its holding means; means mounted upon the crane for causing the same to rotate; means carried by the car, engaging said latter means and causing the same to operate prior to the engagement of the bag-withdrawing means with the bag; and a pick-up weight in operative connection with the crane and adapted to arrest its swinging movement.

4. In an apparatus for delivering mailbags or the like to a car, the combination of a platform crane adapted to be swung about a vertical axis; means carried thereby for holding a mail-bag or pouch; means mounted on the car for engaging said pouch and withdrawing it from its holding means; means mounted upon the crane for causing the same to rotate; means carried by the car engaging said latter means and causing the same to operate prior to the engagement of the bag-withdrawing means with the bag; a pick-up weight in operative connection with the crane and adapted to arrest its swinging movement; and means for holding the crane against retrograde movement after it has been swung away from the car.

5. In an a paratus for delivering mailbags or the li (e to a car, the combination of a vertically-disposed shaft; a supporting arm extending outwardly from said shaft; a mail-bag holder carried by said arm; means prior to the endrawmg means carried by the car for engagin a mail-bag and withdrawing it from the holder; a rockshaft mounted upon the arm; gearing between said rock-shaft and the vertically-disosed shaft; an arm extending upwardly from said rock-sh aft at the outer end thereof; and an arm carried by the car and adapted to engage said arm and to cause a movement of the parts so as to impart an initial rotation to the verticallydisposed shaft and the parts carried thereby prior to the engageil'pent of the bag-withdrawing means with the 6. In an a paratus for delivering mailbags or the lil e to a car, the combination of a vertically-disposed shaft, located to one side of the track; an arm extending outwardly therefrom; means carried by said arm for holding a mail-bag or pouch; an arm carried by the car adapted to engage the mail-bag supported by said holder; a rock shaft; an arm extending u wardly from the outer end of the rock-sha t; a second arm carried by the car and adapted to coact with said upstanding arm prior to the engagement of the means carried by the car for withdrawing the ouch; gearing inter osed between the roc (-Sllitft and the vertically-disposed shaft to impart motion to the latter when said rock-shaft is actuated; a pick-up weight operatively connected to the vertically-disposed shaft; and means for holding the vertically-disposed shaft against retrograde movement after it has been swung away from the car.

7. In an apparatus for delivering mailbags or the like to a car, the combination of a vertically-disposed shaft; an arm extending outwardly therefrom; means carried by the arm for holding a mail-bag; an arm carried upon the car adapted to engage the bag and withdraw the same from said holding means; a rock-shaft extending outwardly from the vertical shaft; an arm extending upwardly from said rock-shaft a second arm carried by the car adapted to engage the upstanding arm prior to the engagement of the means for withdrawing the bag from its holder; gearing interposed between said rock-shaft and the vertically-disposed shaft; a countershaft; gearing interposed between said countershaft and the vertically-disposed shaft; an arm extending outwardly from said shaft; and a chain connected to the outer end of said arm, the lower links of the chain normally resting upon a platform or the like when the parts are in operative relation with reference to the car; and means for holding the vertical shaft against retrograde movement toward the car.

8. A holder for mail-pouches and the like, comprising a fixed portion; a pair of wings hinged thereto; and means for throwing the free edges of said wings toward each other and into engagement with a strip secured to a mail-ba or ouch.

9. A ho der for mailbags or the like, comprising a semicylindrical member; a top and ottom secured thereto; a pair of wings or doors hinged to the forward edges of said semicylindrical member; means for drawing the free edges of saiddoors or wings toward each other; a mail-bag or pouch provided with a strip secured thereto, said strip being provided with grooves along its edges adapted to receive the free edges of the doors or wings; and a sta le secured to said strip.

10. A receptac e for holding mail-bags or the like, comprising a semicylindrical back piece; a top and bottom secured thereto; a pair of wings or doors hinged to the forward edges of said semicylindrical member, the free edges of said doors being rounded; a bag provided with an elongated strip secured thereto, the edges of said strip being formed with grooves adapted to receive the enlarged portions of the doors; and an elongated staple secured to said strip.

11. A receptacle for holding mail-bags, provided with a yielding member adapted to engage a strip secured upon a mail-bag, said strip being likewise provided with means for engagement therewith of a device for withcarried by said crane; a car crane; a receptacle carried by said car crane in line with the hook upon the platform crane; and a hook likewise mounted upon the car crane'in line with the receptacle mounted upon the platform crane.

13. In a mail-bag catching and delivering apparatus, the combination of a platform crane; a receptacle mounted thereon for holding a bag; a hook likewise carried by said crane; acar crane; a'receptacle carried by the car crane in line with the hook upon the platform crane; a hook carried by the car crane in line with the receptacle on the platform crane; and means for imparting a forward movement to the platform crane prior to the engagement of the hooks with the bags or pouches carried by the respective receptacles.

14. In a mail-bag catching and delivering apparatus, the combination of a platform crane; a receptacle carried by said platform crane and adapted to inclose and hold a mail-bag or pouch; a hook carried by said platform crane; a car crane; a receptacle mounted upon said crane and adapted to inclose and support a bag or pouch, said receptacle being in line with the hook upon the platform crane; ahook mounted upon the car crane, said hook standing in alinement with the receptacle upon the platform crane; means mounted upon the platform crane for asses -causing the latter to rotate about its axis away from the ear; and means carried by the car crane for actuating said rotating means prior to the engagement of the hooks with the bags carried by the receptacles.

15. In an apparatus for delivering mailbags, the combination "o'f'mea'ns for supporting a bag; means for disengaging the bag from its support; and means for imparting an initial swingin movement to one or the other of said memers prior to the actualengagement of the other therewith.

1-6. In an apparatus for engaging and deliver-ing mail-bags or the like, the combination of'a platform *crane'; a receptacle carried by said crane for holding a bag; a hook likewise carried by said crane; means for causing the crane to swing about its axis; a car crane; areceptacle carried by said car crane in line with the hook carried *by the platform crane; a hook carried by said car crane in line with the receptacle mounted upon the platform crane; an arm carried by the car crane adapted to cause said means for rotating the platform crane to come into action prior to engagement of the hooks with their respective bags; a pick-up weight adapted to arrest the movement of the platform crane; and means for holding said crane against retrograde movement.

1n testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ANDREW H. SNYDER. FRANK O. SNYDER. JAMES P. GAFFNEY Witnesses:

11. L. Frrz SIMON, WILLIAM E. WALSILI 

